Holden Commodore News

A tighter economy and tougher emissions standards in the United States will not affect the hard-won export deal for the Holden Commodore.The Pontiac G8 version of Australia's favourite car is still locked in for later this year and General Motors expects at least 40,000 sales a year, even as the green debate takes on a new edge in the United States.There had been worries about the G8 in recent weeks after General Motors' global product chief Bob Lutz suggested the company had hit the “pause button” on some of its future large rear-wheel-drive projects as petrol prices again soar in the US and various governments look to tighten standards for CO2 emissions and carmakers' corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) numbers.But Steve Harris, GM's head of global communications, moved quickly to erase any worries during a brief visit to Melbourne for an Asia-Pacific planning summit.He says Pontiac cannot wait to get the G8 and predicts a solid future for the left-hand drive Commodore.“There is a lot of anticipation around that vehicle. People feel that it will do well,” Harris says.He is a member of the top management group at General Motors and was brought back from retirement when the company was close to bankruptcy last year.Harris believes GM is pointing in the right direction with breakthrough cars, including the G8, to win back ground lost to Japanese carmakers with their “transplant” factories in the US. But he concedes there have been mistakes.“We definitely disappointed a lot of people in the '80s and '90s. But most people think we've touched bottom,” Harris says.On the environmental front, he says there are still too many questions to give definitive answers to. But he says Lutz's comments were taken too literally and there was never any doubt about the G8.“We have not stopped and never did stop any work on any rear-wheel-drive activity. There is no slowdown and no putting any investment on hold,” he says.Harris's words are good news for the engineering and design teams at Fishermans Bend who are preparing the Chevrolet Camaro concept car for showrooms, over the top of the VE Commodore mechanical package.But Harris still warns that change is coming and GM will have to be prepared, as the federal and state governments, led by California, look at tighter regulations for motor vehicles.“It is a concern to us, what is going on from a CAFE and CO2 discussion in the US, and some of the proposals look unbelievably difficult to achieve,” he says.“It's a complex issue and it is yet to be determined how it will play out . . . We're very much at discussion and negotiation stages.”

The Royal Automobile Club of Victoria has just completed its annual cost of ownership survey of a range of current models.The survey looks at total running cost and is based on vehicles travelling 15,000km a year, which is the Australian average.It factors in the cost of a typical car loan, depreciation, registration, club membership, comprehensive insurance plus servicing, fuel and tyre costs.Fuel costs were calculated on an unleaded petrol pump price of $1.26 a litre, $1.31 for diesel and 47c for LPG.Fuel prices have risen significantly since the survey was finished so true running costs will be even higher.The survey results show the cheapest car costs about $6000 a year to run, compared to $18,500 for the most expensive.The most affordable car was Hyundai's Getz at $116.54 a week, followed by Holden's Barina ($120.85) and the Toyota Yaris ($125.88).Go up a size and Toyota's Corolla was the winner at $154.49, followed by the Ford Focus ($156.49) and Holden Astra ($158.12).The medium class sector was won by Toyota's Camry at $193.05, followed by the Mazda6 at $197.85, and Honda Accord Euro ($218.07).Large cars are, as expected, more expensive to run but, surprisingly not that much more.The best was Mitsubishi's 380 at $200.44, so it is cheaper than the Honda Accord. Toyota's Aurion was next best ($217.60), followed by Ford's Falcon ($229.13).For large families, the Kia Carnival people mover at $216.68 beat the Honda Odyssey ($228) and Toyota Tarago ($267.61).Diesel and hybrid cars were cheaper to run but don't forget diesel cars initially cost more and replacement batteries for hybrids are hellishly expensive and have a short lifespan.The cheapest was the Honda Civic hybrid at $175.29, beating the Toyota Prius at $200.63. A VW Golf diesel was better than the Prius on the wallet at $187.93.A Ford Falcon running on LPG cost $211.43 a week, while the dual-fuel Commodore came in at $225.10.The popular compact SUV market was headed by Honda's CRV at $203.86, followed by Nissan's Xtrail ($207.36) and Subaru's Forester ($208.52).Medium SUVs had the Holden Captiva out in front at $225.16, followed by the Ford Territory ($234.47) and Toyota Prado ($286.16).At the expensive end of the running cost spreadsheet were the big four-wheel-drives.The cheapest was Nissan's Patrol at $269.53, while the Toyota LandCruiser cost $357.51 a week.

Racing legend Peter Brock drove many race cars in his long and successful career. And with his passing late last year, the value of his classics increased dramatically. So it's not surprising that what could be the most important car of his life, where he first began his racing passion, has been valued at a massive $400,000. Or is it surprising?It's not a vehicle from the muscle car family and there's no V8 power under the bonnet. The only race track it's been on was a self-made dirt course on the Brock family farm.It has no brakes and has been sitting in pieces for more than 50 years.But now, the 1929 Austin 7, the car where the racing legend learned to drive at the age of 12, is driveable once again.After six months of hard work, restorer Peter Denman has returned the car from Brock's childhood to its original form.As a friend of Brock's and with his wife as the director of the Peter Brock Foundation, Denman put his hand up for the job.He used four photographs that were taken at the time by Brock's older brother Neil, to help in the restoration process.The photographs of the engine, chassis and rear end allowed him to recreate the car as closely as possible.“The car was remarkably complete except for a few items,” he says.“The original engine was on it and the chassis was the original. It needed quite a bit of cutting rust out and so forth.”Denman says that despite its small size, there was considerable work involved, including a rebuild on the front and rear ends, the gearbox and repairing the engine.The engine was in a poor state and was split in half, so Denman had to call on the Austin 7 club to help weld it together so the original engine could remain in the car.Another obstacle Denman faced was the flooring. As the original had rotted away, he used wood Peter had collected to make his own furniture in recent years.Brock's younger brother, Lewis Brock, last weekend re-enacted the image of Brock racing around the family farm in his first car.He says the image of Peter and his dad working on the car is etched in his memory.“I won't forget it, all the boys were involved in varying degrees, but it was Peter's car. He did the work on it,” he says.Lewis fondly recalls Peter getting into trouble from their mother for cutting the body of the car with an axe. He says she was more concerned about the damage to the axe.Lewis believes he and Peter were the only two to have driven the car as youngsters and the one time he got behind the wheel, he ended up in a palm tree.“I was struggling to get my legs down to the pedals,” he says.Lewis says his brother had to fine-tune his skills of going down through the gears and putting it into a slide in order to stop.Brock drove the car until he was 16. Although many decades have passed, Lewis says the noise of the engine is still identical from their childhood.“It's fabulous,” he says. “When we started the engine, my uncle Sandy was there ... we looked at each other when the car fired up and said that's the same noise.”Both Lewis and Denman describe it as interesting to drive, Denman claiming it feels like a “rocket ship”. “It only weighs probably 200kg.“It's very, very low to the ground, it's something that you couldn't describe,” he says.Lewis is concerned over the lack of brakes and says he won't be driving it again until brakes are installed.The previous owner bought the car from Sandy Brock 45 years ago and had it sitting in the roof of his factory for most of that time. About 10 years ago he discovered it was Brock's first car.Lewis says Brock knew about the car, but didn't have any plans to reclaim it. But after Brock's death last year, the owner decided to sell it and it was purchased and donated to the Peter Brock Foundation by a supporter.“Peter would be rapt,” Lewis says. “He would think it was a hoot and he was probably sitting on the back axle watching me drive it. That's what it felt like.”If Brock's history was taken out of the picture, Denman says the car would be worth a lot less.“The car itself is probably worth $2000 if you wanted to buy one, for the chassis, the engine, that's what you'd pay,” he says. “It's the history of the car, the car is complete.”The Peter Brock Foundation will now display the car at different shows and racetracks around the country and it's likely to end up in a museum.“When Peter signed signatures he'd put on posters `follow your dreams',” Lewis says.“That's where it started for him, he turned it into something to hone his skills in.”And Lewis says Peter would want everyone to see it. While this might have been his first, there are many more cars where Brock mastered his driving skills. According to the fans and collectors, Brock would have raced more than 100 cars during his time on the track. The most valued and important of those would have been his victories at Bathurst.Queenslander Peter Champion has a collection of 32 Brock cars, both ones he raced and road registered models.He's collected the cars over the past 15 years and believes they would be worth between $6 million and $7 million.The collection includes a replica of the Austin A30 Brock raced in 1967, a project Brock's step-son James Brock completed for Champion. The first Bathurst car Brock raced, the 1969 Monaro is also in the collection, as well as the 1974 L34 Torana and the 1982, 1983 and 1984 Bathurst-winning Commodores.He also has the Ford Sierra and the 2002 Motorola-sponsored Commodore that he raced at Bathurst. And Champion this week said he and his team are currently rebuilding the car that claimed Brock's life.“I'm guessing they're worth from half a million to a million each, that's what people say. I don't get involved, they're not for sale.”As Brock's friend, navigator and competitor, Champion wants to share his collection from Brock's career with the public.“I'm building a museum which I have been doing for a number of years. Peter was involved in with me for quite a few years. A lot of the personal stuff, he gave to it,” Champion says.“The reason he was an icon was because he always had time for people, he always stood there and signed autographs, he stayed well after dark.”Champion says the museum should be opened in Queensland by the end of the year.Fellow Queenslander, David Bowden, has his own slice of Brock history. He owns the Bathurst-winning A9X Torana's from 1978 and 1979, as well as Brock's 1987 VL Commodore. He says that although the value of the cars has increased with Brock's passing, Bowden's not comfortable talking about what they're worth.“It's so hard, he was such a good mate to everyone, that I hate talking about things like that,” he says.The value is not important, Bowden says, as he wouldn't consider selling them at this stage. He says he's spent too much money building up his collection to sell them.“I don't expect to jump on for a quick profit,” says Bowden, who often sends his cars to Bathurst so the public can see them.“Brocky” did his last hot lap at Bathurst in the 1979 A9X Torana. Where are they now? Brock's classic cars 1967 Austin A30 original lost, replica owned by Peter Champion1969 Monaro (Bathurst third place) owned by Peter Champion1972 XU-1 Torana (Bathurst winner) owned by Glen Amos1973-74 XU-1 Torana sold last year for $500,000 to an anonymous Melbourne buyer1974 L34 Torana owned by Peter Champion1975 Torana (Bathurst winner) lost1978 A9X Torana (Bathurst winner) owned by David Bowden1979 A9X Torana (Bathurst winner) owned by David Bowden1979 Commodore (Round Australia trial winner) owned by Holden1980 Commodore (Bathurst winner) claimed to be owned by Rowan Harmon1982-83 VH Commodore (Bathurst winner) owned by Peter Champion1983 VH Commodore (Bathurst car) owned by Peter Champion1984 VK Commodores (Bathurst winner and third) owned by Peter Champion and the Bathurst Museum1986 Commodore Spa 24-Hour Race owned by Peter Champion1987 VL Commodore (Bathurst winner) owned by David Bowden1988 BMW (Bathurst car) unknown1989-1990 Ford Sierra owned by Peter Champion2003 Monaro 24-hour race winner owned by Rob Sherrard2006 Daytona Coupe owned by Peter Champion 

They are some of the questions, among others, many Australians who still buy the “local hero” tag Holden promotes, would like to be answered.

Unleaded petrol costs have risen 5.6 per cent since this time last year, but hidden costs are the main culprits responsible for pumping up motoring budgets, the survey found.The RACV 2007 Vehicle Operating Costs survey said hidden costs such as servicing, insurance and loan interest rates on average rose up to 7 per cent compared to last year's survey.At the same time, depreciation figures show vehicles' value falling faster.After examining the 37 top-selling vehicles across 10 categories, the survey found the cheapest car to own and run was the Hyundai Getz at $116.54 a week.This was $5.34 more than last year's cheapest vehicle, the Kia Rio.The most expensive was still the Toyota Landcruiser GXL turbo-diesel, at $357.51.The Mitsubishi 380 ES was the most affordable family car at $200.44 a week, a weekly increase of $4.46.Meanwhile, lower price and service costs helped Ford Falcon outperform its rival Holden Commodore, costing $229.13 a week compared with $233.40.RACV Chief Engineer of vehicles Michael Case said the Federal Government's $1000 grant to LPG car purchases helped ease the overall running costs of these models.Although eight vehicles across the 10 categories managed to retain last year's rank as cheapest in their class, there were still some significant cost increases.For example, the Kia Carnival rose 14.7 per cent to $216.68, while the Honda CR-V cost $203.86 a week, a 7.4 per cent jump from last year's survey results.Mr Case said the survey showed the cost benefits of diesel and hybrid vehicles, which more motorists were considering investing in as fuel prices continued to skyrocket."A diesel Volkswagen Golf will save you around $2.95 a week - nearly $770 over five years," he said.""That's also a saving of around 11kg of greenhouse gas each week," he said."The Honda Civic hybrid meanwhile, provides a fuel saving of $9.46 a week and can save 17.9kg of greenhouse emissions."The survey data was collected in March and April.RACV calculations are over a five-year ownership period and are based on the average operating conditions for the private motorist, including travel of 15,000 km a year.

Chris Gubbey, pictured, executive vice-president of Shanghai General Motors, will take up the position in August.Outgoing GM Holden boss Denny Mooney said Gubbey had been involved in the export of WL long wheelbase Holdens to China.“Chris spent a fair amount of time down here . . . so he also has some good familiarity with our operation. I think he is going to be a big benefit to the operation here as we continue to rely more on exports and . . . integrated business worldwide,” he said.“I don't know that it's a renewed focus (on China), because I think the focus has always been there.”GM Holden has been exporting engines to China for some years and recently announced a V6 export program.“China is now the second-largest car market in the world and it's great to have a partnership and a business relationship, and I see where Chris can strengthen that and help us find opportunities.”Gubbey began his career with Ford in 1979, has worked for Toyota and Vauxhall, and has been in Shanghai since 2000.Mooney has been appointed GM vice-president of global vehicle systems and integration based at GM's headquarters in Detroit.The American executive has a background in engineering and will have global responsibility in body, chassis and electrical engineering for GM. Mooney said Australia would now “have a friend” in Detroit.He was appointed to GM Holden in 2004 and during his time here has overseen the launch of the new VE Commodore and WM long-wheelbase Caprice and Statesman and development of the new-generation ute.The billion-dollar program for the large rear-wheel-drive cars was the biggest in Australia's history.During his time, Holden dropped from first to second in sales behind Toyota. He also presided over the termination of the Monaro model and the withdrawal of Daewoo from Australia in 2004. Six months later he brought back Daewoo small cars rebadged as Holdens to capitalise on record fuel prices.

Toyota Australia is working on its Vehicle Stability Control and promises it will be available next year, but it should have been ready for the first delivery of its all-new compact champion.The Corolla could easily become Australia's best seller in the next few years, even though Toyota refuses to mount a head-on attack against the Holden Commodore, and it has a responsibility to set the standard for small-car safety.But the situation on electronic stability control in the Corolla is typical of a life-saving technology that is having a tough time worldwide.And it follows a slow take-up for airbags beyond the basic frontal protection.The European NCAP safety organisation, which has set the standard for independent crash testing, has recently called for ESP to be standard on all cars and has criticised carmakers' attitudes to its introduction.It was particularly unhappy with the results of a recent European survey of the take-up rates for electronic stability control (ESC), which senses the onset of a potentially dangerous slide and uses brake and engine controls to pull a vehicle straight.It rates Denmark, Sweden and Germany at the top of the countries pushing the ESP advantage, with Britain, Holland, Greece, Malta and Ireland at the bottom of a European Union ranking.“We must all do what we can to raise awareness of ESP's importance,” Euro NCAP general secretary Adrian Hobbs says.“Car manufacturers respond to the demands of customers but customers will demand it only when they become aware of the benefits.“The reasons for the disparity are not technical ones. Some models have ESP fitted as standard equipment in one country, yet it is not available, even as an option, in others.”Euro NCAP has begun a program called “Choose ESC” and it is one that should be mirrored in Australia.Ford and GM Holden are doing a good job on pushing the introduction of ESP but other companies are taking far too long.Luxury brands, including Mercedes and BMW, worry that Australia's discriminatory luxury car tax is actually anti-safety because of the extra cost it imposes on new life-saving technology.And Toyota? At least the Corolla is available with airbags and anti-skid brakes, unlike the company's 70-Series LandCruiser workhorse, which is still not available with any sort of airbag at any price.

New car buyers are reaping rewards from the strongest Australian dollar in more than a decade.The exchange rate has gone over 100 yen for the first time in 15 years and the dollar is also running strongly against the US dollar, British pound and the Euro.Government figures show car prices have declined in recent months, and surging demand is likely to take sales beyond one million vehicles for the first time this year.The losers, a growing concern, are exports such as Holden Commodore and Toyota Camry.“The Aussie car buyer has never had it so good, cars have never been better value,” Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries president John said.“Importers are taking advantage of the strong Australian dollar to cram a lot more features into cars.“At the same time, the market is impacted almost monthly by some new model or brand.”Conomos said the exchange rate is allowing importers to hold prices while boosting value at all levels.He believes the number of importers is a bonus for buyers.“We have around 55 companies in this country, compared with only 35 or so in the US,” he said.“I don't know any other country that has a 70 per cent share held by imports, and still rising, while retaining a local manufacturing industry.”He said Free Trade Agreements are boosting value as buyers also benefit from reducing import duties.“While the Australian market is under such immense competition, I see no reason why sales will not drive beyond one million vehicles this year,” Mr Conomos said.“Consumer confidence has never been higher. The election in New South Wales has had no bearing on demand, the threat of interest rates has had no effect and the Federal Government looks positive.“Consumers are the beneficiaries and it will stay that way for more than a year. Most car companies will be looking to expand their volume.”The sales chief at GM Holden agrees with the FCAI boss, but Alan Batey said competition is still tough.Batey said Commodore and engine exports are being impacted by the strength of the dollar.“Value for money in this market is very, very important,” he said.“The dollar-yen exchange rate is at the toughest we've seen in a decade. It's a very, very tough market.”Ford Australia president Tom Gorman worries about the longer-term impact of the strong dollar.“Being an exporter from Australia at 81.5 cents to the US dollar today for anybody is difficult,” he said.“At the present exchange rate, for you to keep your margins where you want them to be, it's very hard to be an exporter. That is going to be factor into a lot of future decisions.“Both Toyota and Holden have very big export businesses here. It's the vast majority of Toyota volumes.“At 81.5 cents to the US dollar and the equivalent relationship with other currencies around the world, I'm not so sure how attractive those export opportunities are.“I think that's another big issue for us to come to grips with.”

Holden began production of the FX (which was known at the time as the 48-215) in 1948, with 163 existing in total and only 112 of those released to dealers as demonstrator models.An FX didn't reach a private buyer until January 1949 and they were then produced right up to 1953 when the FJ took over.And while you may be able to find FX models from the later years, you'll struggle to find one of the originals.Of the models released to dealers in 1948, perhaps only nine still exist.Holden collector, Phil Munday, recently snapped up his own little piece of history.The owner of a smash repair shop in Melbourne bought one of the remaining 1948 FX models last Christmas.It is the oldest continually registered FX model and Munday says it's also the second oldest Holden production car in Australia, with Holden owning the oldest.And it now joins his collection of about40 models, all Holdens except one lonely Ford, a classic Mustang muscle car.“From a very young age, maybe as young as nine, we use to wreck these cars in the backyard,” he says. “It became a passion when I was 13, the rest is history.”Munday says while there are probably about nine models remaining, he's only aware of the whereabouts of three desirable '48s.He has one, Holden has the number six model made and fellow Holden fan Charlie McCarron has the number 46.Others are believed to be either in pieces or undriveable, sitting in workshops.Canowindra resident McCarron has owned his FX since 1970 when he paid about $800 for it. While it may not seem much, McCarron says it was still quite a lot of money for the time. But not as much as they're worth now.Neither owners were willing to put a price on their cars, claiming they are worth whatever someone will pay for them.Some have been known to go for $60,000, but they would be later models. And with few originals, the price tag is likely to rise.Both Munday and McCarron are hoping to see it reach close to the $1 million mark in the next 10 years or so, especially with muscle cars recently attracting huge bids.But 74-year-old McCarron already wants to let go of his prized possession. As with Munday, McCarron is a collector. He owns about 45 cars, some of which he has on display in his car yard, Canowindra Motors.“What I want to do is sell the whole business and about 44 cars altogether,” he says.But with such a connection to his cars and his shop, McCarron says he would like the majority to be sold together, including his FX which has done only 21,000 miles (33,800km) during its nearly 60 years on the road.After becoming a Holden dealer in 1959, McCarron began looking for the oldest Holden car he could find.He had been inspired by a trip to the Ford Museum in Michigan, where he saw the first and last T-model Fords displayed in glass cases. He decided to do the same.He has owned this FX ever since and says it's in original condition having only had a new paint job in the 47 years he's owned it. Munday's model is also in original condition.The FX was built almost entirely in Australia, although it was adapted from an American design. It featured a 2.15-litre,in-line six-cylinder engine.Munday says many Holden fans are often shocked to see the classic at car shows.“A lot of people who look at this car think `That's another FX Holden', they don't realise it's a 1948-built car,” he says.“People who have a bit of understanding of these cars look and say, `I've never seen another 1948 FX Holden'. There are less than 10 of them around.”And Munday and McCarron say although they love their cars, they rarely drive them.“It's certainly a driveable car, but it's too much of a special car to drive it all the time. If it was ever written off or stolen you could never replace it,” Munday says.Fast facts1948 FX Holden (48-215)Price when new: around pound stg. 733 ($1466)Price now: more than $60,000Verdict: Holden's first production model harks back to the beginnings of the company and the automotive industry in Australia. With only a handful of these originals remaining, they are a very special model. 

Occasionally use a bicycle to commute, or use public transport, and you'll probably be eligible to drive a V12 sports car on Sunday.Hypothetical? Not according to the Australian Greenhouse Office, which argues that hybrid cars aren't the answer.Bigger reductions in greenhouse gases — which include carbon-dioxide, nitrous oxides and methane — are possible around the house.The office also reports that passenger cars contribute 7 per cent of Australia's total greenhouse-gas emissions — less than the nation's cow and sheep population emit through flatulence.Bushfires beat both, but the doozy is the greenhouse gases emitted to produce electricity — a whopping 35 per cent of Australia's total. Unless new and cleaner power sources for electricity generation are found, Australia — and the world — won't be able to justify mass use of plug-in electric cars.Think GM's aborted electric car was part of a conspiracy? It wasn't, but it made for an interesting film, Who Killed The Electric Car?.Basically, if all the 11 million passenger cars on Australian roads were suddenly converted to plug-in electric power, there would be no car emissions. But the electricity required to charge these cars would create a massive increase in greenhouse gases.Current electric plug-in cars marketed in the US and Europe require an average of 0.25kWh for each kilometre travelled.Electricity from a combination of gas and coal-fired stations in Australia produces 0.99kg of carbon-dioxide equivalent (CO2 which adds to other greenhouse gases) for 1kWh according to the Sustainable Energy Development Office.An electric car travelling 20,000km a year indirectly produces 4950kg of CO2 a year.By comparison, a Toyota Prius hybrid emits 2120kg of CO2 a year; a Toyota Camry petrol four-cylinder 4660kg; a Holden Commodore V8 6600kg; a Volkswagen Golf diesel 2980kg; and a Smart Fortwo 2260kg (source: Australian Greenhouse Office).Even a BMW X5 SUV diesel emits 4620kg — 330kg a year less greenhouse gas than an electric car.Of course, there are emissions from refining oil and gas. In Australia, that is estimated at "less than 4 per cent" of all energy emissions.Future electric cars are expected to have more efficient batteries, with the Lotus Elise-based Tesla prototype claiming 0.16kWh/km — resulting in 3168kg of CO2 a year.Change the electricity station to natural gas — which emits only 0.21kg per 1kWh — and electric cars start to make a difference.Change to sustainable power — wind or solar — and we will have virtually emission-free transport. That won't happen overnight.What can happen is a substantial reduction in greenhouse gases through simple changes to our houses. Each Australian household produces an average of 15 tonnes of greenhouse gases annually.On a per capita basis, that makes us one of the world's worst greenhouse gas polluters.This is because most of our electricity comes from coal burnt in one of the 24 power stations around the country.In the period 1999-2004, greenhouse emissions from electricity generation in Australia rocketed 50.4 per cent.In the same period, passenger car emissions rose 18 per cent — up because there are more cars on the road, but comparatively modest because car manufacturers are making "cleaner" cars.If every Australian motorist is serious about becoming green, they can cut car use by 30 per cent. Walk, use public transport or cycle.Do this and motorists will reduce the nation's greenhouse emissions by 2.5 per cent.However, we can achieve that same 2.5 per cent reduction by reducing our electricity use by 7 per cent.Change the incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs, turn off electrical appliances that have a standby mode, take shorter showers, change from electricity to gas or solar hot-water heating, raise the airconditioning temperature by 1C or 2C in summer, turn off lights in unoccupied rooms, and so on.Simply, legislation should be focused on how green we build new houses, not just new cars. The bottom line is we all have to become smarter and that includes car use. Just stop blaming the car for all our greenhouse woes.Do you agree with Neil Dowling's view? carsguide.com.au Things you should knowAustralia's total greenhouse emissions were 564.7 million tonnes recorded in 2004 (the latest data available).Livestock generated 65 million tonnes of the greenhouse gas methane, while passenger cars emitted 41.7 million tonnes.It takes 22 years and 10 months of driving at 20,000km a year for the $37,400 Toyota Prius to finally equate to the price differential of the $19,990 Toyota Corolla, assuming $1.20 a litre for petrol. But in that time, the Corolla dumps 30.5 tonnes more CO2 into the air than the Prius.If every household in Australia installed one energy-efficient light, it would equal a drop in emissions of taking 130,000 cars off the road.Appliances on standby account for one-eighth of household energy-related greenhouse gas emissions.Further information: greenhouse.gov.au